Activities inside and outside the museumhttp://museicivici.modena.it/en/activities/copy_of_activities-inside-and-outside-the-museum/activities-inside-and-outside-the-museumhttp://museicivici.modena.it/@@site-logo/logo_museicivici.svg

Activities inside and outside the museum

The Civic Museums are committed to preserving and studying the archaeological, artistic and historical heritage entrusted to them, in collaboration with the agencies of the Ministero Beni Culturali (Ministry of Cultural Heritage). The Museums work closely with other cultural institutions – in particular the Soprintendenza Archeologia dell’Emilia-Romagna (Commission for the Archaeology of Emilia-Romagna) and the Istituto Beni Culturali e Naturali della Regione Emilia Romagna (Institute of Cultural and Natural Heritage of Emilia-Romagna) – to promote and spread cultural heritage awareness through initiatives oriented towards different sectors of the public.

The Civic Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology follows a program of activities geared towards researching, preserving and safeguarding archaeological heritage on the one hand, and towards enhancing and promoting the collections on the other. In collaboration with the Soprintendenza per i Beni archeologici dell’Emilia – Romagna, it performs long-term archaeological digs and research, such as in the case of the Terremare of Montale and the Bronze Age necropolis of Casinalbo. In 1993, working in cooperation with the Soprintendenza, the museum began development of the Carta Archeologica del Comune di Modena (Municipal Archaeological Map of Modena), an effective tool for safeguarding archaeological interests with respect to city planning.

In keeping with its commitment to furthering public awareness of cultural heritage, the Museum has proposed shows, publications, audio-visual material, refresher courses, excursions and participatory projects to a variety of audiences. Of particular note are the exhibits “Modena from its origin to the Ottonian Renaissance” (1987) and “Terremara. The oldest civilization of the Po Valley” (1997), the cd rom “Mutina” (2001), the opening of the Roman Lapidary (2002) and the Outdoor Archaeological Park and Museum of Terremara di Montale (2004) and Novi Ark (2011), the publication of the “Atlases of Archaeological Heritage of the Province” (2003 – 2009) and the initiatives to highlight archaeological findings from the Roman Age in the city and its surrounding areas, from the walls of Piazza Roma, to the altar of Vetilia, Novi Sad Park, the mosaic of Savignano sul Panaro, and the necropolis of Via Ciro Menotti, with a deceased couple buried hand-in-hand (2006-2013). In 2009 the museum launched a long-term inter-cultural project, which has been promoted through three shows and as many programs/catalogues.

The Civic Museum of Art is actively involved in research, preservation and promotion of its cultural heritage, as well as that of the community (in particular, the historic stairway of the Palazzo Comunale and the municipal churches: Sant'Agostino, San Biagio, Chiesa del Voto, San Barnaba, San Lazzaro, Tempio Monumentale ai Caduti in Guerra, Santa Maria della Pomposa and San Giacomo di Colombaro). Its activities in this area include maintenance and restoration, the cataloguing of collections, and promotion of historical and artistic studies. Furthermore, it publishes catalogues and guidebooks (including the catalogues for the main collections), produces multimedia material and offers educational courses. In addition, the museum organizes temporary shows, seminars, conferences and initiatives designed for various audiences. Publications and initiatives are often joint efforts with other cultural institutions, from Modena and elsewhere, and focus on salient aspects of the local art culture and on collections containing material similar to the material in its own collections. Some of the most significant initiatives of recent years include the shows dedicated to Adeodato Malatesta (1998), Ludovico Lana (2003), Nicolò dell’Abate (2005), Guido Mazzoni and Antonio Begarelli (2008).

Also housed in the museum is the Coordination for the UNESCO Site “Modena, Cattedrale, Torre Civica e Piazza Grande”, recognized in 1997 as a World Heritage Site (LINK), and as such it sponsored the show Romanica. Arte e liturgia nelle terre di san Geminiano e di Matilde di Canossa (Romanica: Art and liturgy in the land of San Geminiano and Matilde di Canossa) (2006-2007) in the Museums of the Cathedral.

The calendar of events is distributed through press releases and invitations; those who are interested in receiving programs can request to be included in the mailing list by contacting the administrative office:

-telephone 059 203 3101/125; fax 059 2033110;-museo.archeologico@comune.modena.it or museo.arte@comune.modena.itor by signing up for the newsletters 1XUNO "museoarcheologico" and "museoarte".